A Visit to the City of Verdun
The motorist coming either from Sainte-Menehould or Bar-le-Duc, via the “Sacred Way” enters Verdun by the Porte de France, and reaches the cathedral by the Rues: Saint-Maur, Chevert, and la Belle-Vierge.
The tourist coming from the station by the Porte Saint-Paul, reaches the Cathedral by the Rues: Saint-Paul, Saint-Pierre and la Belle-Vierge.
The Cathedral
The tourist, arriving at the Place de la Cathédrale, via the Rue de la Belle-Vierge, finds himself in front of the North Façade (photo opposite).
In the middle is the entrance porch; on the right, the Western transept and the towers enclosing the remarkable, square-shaped old Choir, on the left, the Eastern transept and the polygonal apse of the Great Choir with the Roman basement and Gothic buttresses (photo p. 52).
In front of the towers and on the right, in the photograph opposite, is the entrance to Margueritte College leading to the Bishop’s Palace and the Cloister.
The Apse of the Great Choir which can be seen from the banks of the Meuse.
The Canopy (Ciborium) and the altar of the Great Choir.
On entering the Cathedral by the central porch of the north façade, the old choir is on the right and on the left the great choir.
The Nave of the Great Choir in 1918.
In the background, the old choir and the organ platform.
The old square choir is intersected by the great organ.
In the great choir, notice the elegant panelling of Rococo-style and the ciborium with canopy supported by twisted columns of grey marble.
The numerous side-chapels are 14th, 15th and 16th century.
The most interesting is in the South Aisle, that of the Blessed Sacrament, Radial-Gothic in style (photo above).
The door of Margueritte College (see photo page 51) leads to the courtyard of the Bishop’s Palace (18th century) and thence to the Cloister (historical monument of the 13th and 14th centuries, photos p. 54.)
From the Bishop’s palace, go along the Rue Chatel to the Place Chatel, then down the Rue des Hauts-Fins, and cross the Esplanade to the Citadelle.
The Citadelle
The Citadelle occupies the site of the ancient abbeys or churches of Sainte-Vanne, erected in the Merovingian period and the 15th century.
The first Citadelle was completed under Henry IV. The second was the work of Vauban. The church of Sainte-Vanne which had survived was pulled down in 1831. During the war, the deep underground caves were a safe place of refuge for the inhabitants before their departure and for relief troops during the battle.
A Canteen installed in the Citadelle.
On leaving the Citadelle, turn right and go down the slope towards the Meuse and the Rue de Rû, keeping to the right. Go by the stores and then the octroi where the shops are located, and enter the Citadelle by No. 4 listening-post, to visit some of the caverns fitted up as they were in the war.
Here can be seen in particular, under a military guide, the chamber of honour where were laid to rest in November 1920 the bodies of 8 unknown soldiers, from among whom was taken the Unknown Warrior who rests in Paris beneath the Arc de Triomphe.
Return from the Citadelle by the Rue de Rû, passing the theatre. Continue along the Rue Mazel to the site of the monument “Aux morts de Verdun” (see next page), return to the Place Mazel, turn right, cross the Meuse, and the Place Chevert is reached.
The Porte Chaussée
From the Place Chevert, follow the Meuse to the right to the Porte Chaussée.
Its architecture is reminiscent of the Bastille. Half of the left tower, on the river, was rebuilt in 1690 on exactly the same lines and with stones of the old tower: the semi-circular arcade and the pediment facing the bridge are of the same date.